The Past Bites Back
by Emblazoned-Writing
Summary: In the year 1820, Niklaus Mikaelson caught sight of a little raven in the form of a rose, the petals surrounding a dark center. Falling for the beauty was in-explainable, but compelling her out of all the memories of the love they shared was a callous decision. 193 years later, Nyah appears in Mystic Falls, her memories unrecalled of him. When will the truth come out? Klaus/OC
1. Anything You Like

**My fanfiction starts during Season 4.**

**I DO NOT own the Vampire Diaries, this is a work of pure fiction and imaginative ideas about the characters and the show. However I do own, Nyah Ziahev, and Nadia Bennett.**

**If your not a diehard Vampire Diaries fan then you may not know what's going on in some of the scenes, just thought I'd throw that in there. :D This is my very first fanfiction, so I'm pretty new at...well...everything.**

**A/N: **_Since I'm following the series of episodes, I don't want to write every single scene from it. So I refrain down to the scenes that matter, and write the scenes that don't have my characters in them. As you read everything is pretty much self explanatory. I just wanted to clarify that everything goes on in the episode as normal, but some of the dialogue is the same and some of it I have to add in order to continue my storyline. PM me if you need help understanding. Have a great time reading my story! Klaus/OC._

**I hope you like the new way I wrote the chapters, I was tired of a cluttered documents page, so I decided to revamp (haha) my whole story outlet and try to start over on TPBB, so I'll try submitting all the chapters later on.**

**||Anything You Like||****  
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**- something wicked this way comes -**

A woman carrying a black bag with elegant calligraphy on either side sashayed down the narrow corridor towards the awaiting elevators, the hallways overhead lights barely existent. There were no windows on the first floor except for a few expressionless paintings hanging by command strips on the desolate blue walls. A few candy dispensers and a snack machine beckoned nursing staff around her to the cafeteria located on the ground floor.

Nyah Ziahev plastered a reserved frown on her face, looking slowly both ways - left then right - before pushing the reflective button for floor number three on the walls outlet. The disturbing buzzer echoed when the elevator doors opened, just before she stepped inside, situating herself against the back of the metal box, and wrinkling her nose at the uncommon smells wafting around her. _Never_ had she wished to be in a building this...sterile. Especially when the business taking place wasn't exactly clean, if she wanted to put it that way. It wasn't right, but who was here to tell her differently?

After all the chaos she'd put into place the last couple of weeks while in town, why stop and seriously think about what she was doing? She'd been alive for way too long now to know right from wrong, good from evil, and she no longer cared. Caring was overrated for someone who transformed from a seemingly human to an immortal creature of utter malevolence. She tried her hardest everyday to keep that side separated from formal humanity, but she loved the feel of turning it off. _The feeling of not being able to feel at all. _That sense was surely enticing and she wouldn't mind lolling in it for a while, if only she had the ability to control it.

Because of this inability, most of her friends had suffered grueling death at her own hands just because the beast lurking beneath the surface needed to be let out. Nyah inhaled and exhaled slowly, putting her thoughts aside. She could control it, _would control it._ For her own sake she had to; sometimes turning her humanity off threatened her own mind, making her five times the twisted psychopath everyone claimed her to be. After nearly eight hundred years of rejection, she could coincide with their theory. It worried her that one day she may be bound by the beast that consumed her, or worse, the guilt would consume her first. Lately, she'd been working on feeling nothing after the thrill of the chase, and after the the eventual feeding. But with her humanity still intact there would be no forgetting for a while. For now her ultimate goal would be personally keeping herself happy and it only worked when the voice of Shawn Sterling came over her. A skilled doctor, a very skilled, _very married doctor._ She felt so bad. Well not so much for his wife, but being a man thief kind of enticed her almost as much as the hunt for her next feed did.

She kept her gaze as expressionless as a statue, smiling very deeply inside. The elevator's metal paneling interior displayed her reflection. What a monster she was. _Why deny it?_

It didn't take long to reach the third floor where the doctors and physicians private offices were located. When the doors to the elevator opened, a gurney navigated by two nursing staff rolled past her. It reminded her that this also happened to be the floor where the private rooms for patients were across the hallway. She stopped to listen, using her extended hearing to find where sweet and sultry Dr. Sterling would be. She heard his voice on a telephone in his office which would be straight down the hallway, to the left. Picking up her pace, she neared the office door which was propped open. Pressing on the sheer white painted solid oak, she entered.

Shawn was finishing up what used to be a private call before she walked in unannounced. "Okay, I have to go. It's going to be a long night. I love you too. Bye." He placed the phone back on the receiver hurriedly. She frowned before replacing it with a half smile which neither meant she was pleased or happy. He studied her, an amused grin marring his handsome features.

She tried reminding herself that he was just doing this with her because he felt lonely - perfectly understandable. And sometimes loneliness needed company. He was indeed a human which sometimes unnerved her to no end. It seemed like everything was more complicated living a human life. From birth she'd had immortal abilities, having no idea what it felt like to be without them. Being married seemed very complicated the way she'd observed over the years. Who'd want to be tied down with someone for the rest of their life? _Forever._ _Talk about complicated. _

Shawn had made the decision to start seeing her, and apparently thought they had more in common. _Oh_,_ was he wrong._ His short brown hair and charming good looks made him a target for all women who worked around him, but she'd practically claimed him the second she laid eyes on his physique outside of Merrida's Bar & Grill. What a Saturday night. She remember their time together vividly. What a great way to kick off her first day in Mystic Falls but a date to one of the finest restaurants in town. _Finally_, she wouldn't have to float the bill. Her common wealth had come from her immortal parents who she killed over seven centuries ago. All that was left were deeds to the grand estate, and all the unknown wealth her family had carried as one of the founding families in this inferior town. No one who lived here for decades could unravel the many secrets of this godforsaken place, some dangerous, some even more sinister than the evil that lurked around every street corner. This made her wonder why she'd even come back, besides being present to watch the destruction unfold on the vampire's who hunted her. She planned to meet with one of the many cunning vampire hunters - the Five - this evening, so she could put her whole plan into motion. But her mind couldn't roam elsewhere until later, so she directed her attention back to Shawn. The one who claimed to love her, only to get a delayed response in return. She didn't do this sort of thing to find love, she did it to feel less forlorn. To feel special to someone, if only for a couple hours, held a spacious meaning. And she didn't come back to Mystic Falls to sit around and do nothing.

After spending all her life traveling the states, settling down for a while in Chicago for over a decade, then moving to an upscale home in New Orleans, there'd been a pull that forced her to come back here. She told herself it was only temporary. So while she was here, nearly in hiding until she could get a proper handle on the search party for her head, she'd see what could be done to restore the old mansion her parents had built. Something about Mystic Falls felt right, but then she had to remember what had happened in the past. All her heartbreak and suffering, all the chaos her parents had initiated to kill creatures like her. She'd never forget it. Never forget what other debts and betrayal caused her to live a life of sheer distrust. Speaking of, there were a couple debts that needed payment, something that could keep her busy for the time being while she took up residence here. She hated small towns. Not enough people. _Not enough blood_. Nyah took her time analyzing the office, letting her gaze refocus on the overemphasized windows overlooking the entire hospital grounds before turning back to what should be her main focus.

"So have you had a long day?" It was nearly 2:00p.m. now, but she still wanted to ask, even though she didn't rightly care. But it seemed like the humanly thing to do._ Care._

"Uh, yeah. Sorta. Lots of stress added to my shoulders." She had to wonder why and where his so-called stress had come from. Could it be his job completely or maybe he started to feel guilty about his whole one night, more like every other one night stands? Why did she even care, none of it stuck to her conscience because she never had one, she was free to do whatever she felt like doing. Being alive for eight hundred years was taking a toll on her natural instincts. She was slowly adapting to the more human side of herself than ever before, and she hated to admit it - but she sort of liked it. Nyah supposed she was lucky to even feel a little piece of humanity, only time would tell though if and how long she could go without the need to feed. Or how long before she would turn her humanity all the way off. Those were thoughts she didn't have time to think about since meeting Shawn. He was different and he liked to have fun, he helped her forget what burdens forced her heart shut, and spent time teaching her what kind of life she could have if she opened up a little. Partying every night like a college student on spring break was her kind of style but she also clung to her private days, locking herself away from anyone and everything around her. Secluded described her. And during a full moon, she had to be honest, she was sort of maniac. _Maniac, humanity,_ all the same. Nyah licked her bottom lip knowing that she'd missed the whole explanation of Shawn's stress. Or perhaps she'd ignored him. _Eh, who cared_. Surely not her. She made her way around his desk and laid her palms on each of his shoulders, rolling his muscles forward and back in a light massage.

"Anyway, I thought we could go out to eat before we just jump right into it." she purred lightly, looking down to meet his gaze. She gave him a peck on the cheek, it meant something to him, though he never noticed that their shared kisses weren't affectionate at all to her. She clutched the gift bag at her side and stood, already bored with being around him in this shoe box sized office. His gaze followed her to the door as she waited on him to gather his things.

"Are you implying that I get desert afterward?" he asked, clicking the shutdown button on his computer. Next he'd grab his coat, then start the search for his cell phone; she already knew his routine. In all reality she knew everything about him. She pretended to call it a background check. Nyah had taken a small tour of Mystic Falls when she'd first arrived, enough to fill her in on what went on around here. She made sure to stay in the shadows just in case someone or something figured out she was in town before she made her direct entrance, only to make their lives more miserable of course. For now she would wait, have a little fun while it lasted. Reaching down into the bag filled with pink tissue paper she pulled out a pair of steel handcuffs. Twirling them around with her fingers she smiled slyly and Shawn gathered himself and followed her to the door. Her boot heels clicking all the way across the room. She whispered in a sultry voice while he fumbled with his keys to lock his office for the day. She laid a hand on his chest, earning a smoldering, desire filled stare in return to her words. "If your a good boy, you can have anything you like."

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	2. The Perilous and The Few

**||The Perilous And The Few||**

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_This was exhausting._

Niklaus Mikaelson ran a hand through his short cropped brown hair. The hair wasn't even his. It belonged to werehide, better known as Tyler Lockwood; the teenage hybrid's body he'd possessed. It seemed like a such a good idea, well it'd been the only idea he had if he were to stay among the living, and not in his own corpse to rot. Was it so right to jump into others' bodies? It was his only choice and he didn't mind it, until he'd had to go into hiding. Now trying to ignore werehide's nagging mother, Carol Lockwood was a task all on its own. The cell phone in his khaki pocket vibrated for the fifteenth thousandth time since he'd resided in the damp cavern. He didn't have to glance at the screen to figure out who it was.

"Ah, you incessant woman." he rolled his eyes, and tried keeping his voice neutral when he answered. "Hi, mom." Convincing enough.

"Tyler, thank god. Are you okay?" Carol sounded even more worried presently then she did in her last five messages.

He fought the urge to roll his eyes again and disconnect the call all together. "Yes, I'm fine." She'd never give up. Sometimes it pained him to realize how caring of a mother Tyler had, compared to his selfish mother's tactics he'd had to deal with time and again as she concocted devious ways to destroy the abominations she created: her own children. Niklaus had only been in Tyler's body for a while and he was already annoyed with the dozens of phone calls. Even if the phone calls weren't directly for him to answer, he still hated the feeling of being bothered. No one ever cared or worried about him. No one.

Mayor Carol Lockwood paced the small space between the living room and the foyer as she talked to her son, waving her hand in the air in an urgency, trying to express her building concern for his safety. Niklaus noted the apprehension in her voice and hesitated before asking. "Why, what's going on?"

"Pastor Young had me arrested this morning. The Council grilled me on your whereabouts. Just...don't tell me where you are, the less I know the better."

He didn't have an answer for that, but he wondered why the council was suddenly on the move. He went on with a reassuring voice. What were the correct words to use here? "Mom, I'm okay._ Relax_."

Nik hid a smile as he heard the tinkling of glass and the slight pouring of liquid through the receiver. It reminded him of how long it'd been since he'd had a strong drink himself. The urge to feed was thread bearing on his nerves. A hybrid's appetite held a much more yearning hunger pang than a normal vampire, and he'd learned to control it over time. He grit his teeth and chided to himself. He would certainly be alright until he was back in his own body. Or so he hoped.

Carol took a sip out of her glass and tried to do as he said. "You had me so scared, I thought you were with Caroline."

Klaus felt himself sit up straighter, tightening his grip on the cellular device he'd barely figured out how to use in the last hour. "Why...what happened to Caroline?"

She sighed before coming out with the truth. "The Council took her."

He gripped the phone, nearly making it crack at the base. "What do you mean they took her?"

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**T.P.B.B**

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Sirens wailed as two patrol cars navigated the curves in the road, a solid black van followed suit in between them, heavily guarded by the cruisers inhabitants. Caroline Forbes awaited the time when Rebeckah Mikaelson would awaken from her stupor after being staked through the chest. She didn't dare move or the vervain ropes severely wrapped around her wrists would burn right through the delicate flesh of her wrists. The blonde beside her swayed her head before glancing up and looking around, disoriented. Rebeckah tightened her forearms, groaning when the vervain started to singe her skin.

"Vervain ropes." Caroline said doubtfully. "Looks like Alaric ratted us all to the Council."

Rebeckah turned that same smirk filled glance her way, that same look was certain to be set it stone across her features at all times since she hardly shown any emotion at all, much like her brother Niklaus - counting out the sudden bursts of anger.

"The Council?" Rebeckah rasped, slowly blinking. "What exactly do they think they can do to me?"

Caroline contemplated Rebeckah's question when the van slammed left, rearing them both heels up, then back down. Glass shattered, and steel squealed against asphalt as the van landed on it's side. Rebeckah glanced all around when she regained her composure from the unforeseen crash. "What the hell?"

Caroline stayed silent, and remained still as the doors to the back of the van were removed from the hinges, then forcefully thrown out of the way. She struggled to focus her vision on the strong arms and solid chest of her savior, her eyes fixated to the light and her gaze widened. _Tyler_? No, it couldn't be. The force of the accident must have given her some sort of concussion and now she was hallucinating. She found the strength to speak. "Tyler?"

"I'm a little harder to kill then you think." He leaned over and freed her from the vervain ropes binding her hands.

"Your alive?" She had to be dreaming. "How are you alive?" She asked, feeling her voice reach a hysterical notch. Caroline felt like crying and hugging him all in the same breath.

"No time." he said, lifting her effortlessly from her awkward position before helping her out of the van. He only turned back for a second.

Rebeckah pulled against her restraints once more, "H-hey, what about me?"

Tyler leaned his form into the van again, "Keep 'em busy, little sister."

Her gaze widened as he left her to fend for herself, realization flooded her features. "No, it's not possible." Klaus couldn't be alive. Rebeckah tugged a the restraints around her wrists, and groaned before giving up on finding a way out.

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**T.P.B.B.**

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Niklaus never liked playing the role as hero because he was nothing like the hero type. His feelings for Caroline had developed for a while, but he never acted upon them until now. Caroline forced him back into a large tree, using her boosted strength, kissing him repeatedly. He decided to travel through the forest in order to keep a low profile and stay hidden, but if she kept kissing him like this they would get nowhere. And he was just fine with that.

She dragged her lips away from his long enough to mumble unintelligibly. "I don't get it, how are you alive?"

Niklaus took a shallow breath and grinned. "This is going to sound incredible, but-" Caroline cut him off and nearly smothered him again with another round of breathless kisses. It grew harder to explain himself with her relentless foreplay. She nearly kissed as well as Nyah.

But Nyah had a way about her that could leave him thoughtless. For a moment he envisioned her kissing him, running his fingers through long dark hair after rubbing his palms over her silky cream skin from her temple to her cheek, brazing his teeth over her delicate neckline. He nearly lost himself in Caroline's kiss for a moment, trying to remember that this wasn't her. It wasn't Nyah. It'd been years since he'd laid eyes on the dark haired beauty; so long since he'd compelled her to forget about him. Too bad he couldn't inflict the same compulsion onto himself to forget about her, but knew it would never work. This was Caroline. Tyler's girl. The realization raced in his mind as he removed his jacket, followed by his t-shirt. Bare-chested now, it was his turn to pull away from her mouth.

"Easy love," he used the endearment he always used on her when in his own body. "Wrong time, wrong place, wrong equipment."

She panted and spoke something more indescernable, the last part he picked up in his hearing though. "We're fugitives on the run, all signs point to hot hybrid-vampire sex." He held back a grin at her words kissing her more intensely than before. He watched as she removed her shirt, revealing her lavender colored bra underneath. For a moment he was lost at the sight, but he reined himself back in just in time. She switched positions, using her amplified rate of motion to force him back against another neighboring tree. No thoughts of stopping came to his mind until she unexpectedly pulled away, her gaze questioning. "Did you just call me, love?"

His lips formed a thin line, cocking his head to the side, he replied assertively. "I don't know, love. Did I?"

Her hands still rested on his lower neck as recognition turned into awareness. "What did you do to Tyler?"

She inhaled sharply and pushed away from him fully. "Oh my god, your Klaus." Her eyes widened. "Your _disgusting_."

He smirked feeling egotistic more so, now than ever. "And your a glorious kisser." She raised her hand and slapped him squarely across the jaw. He hardly flinched from the jab before turning back to face her with a presumptuous stare. He felt like grabbing her and finishing what they started but it didn't matter. His main priority was to stay out of sight now.

Caroline snatched her shirt of the ground, lightly shaking it before slipping it back on.

"Listen. I didn't have to risk exposure to come and save you." Klaus stated laying out his palms.

"Oh, you do one semi-decent thing and now your my hero." she shuffled forward and adjusted her shirt further, tucking her shoulder length blonde hair out from under her collar. "Ugh, I need to go...sanitize my mouth."

He grinned infectiously. "Your mouth was all over me. I was the innocent victim."

Caroline turned around, her eyes throwing daggers. "Put Tyler back." He didn't quite like her demanding tone. After all he had effectively saved her from harm. Didn't he deserve some kind of respect?

Klaus stepped forward, crossing his arms assuredly. "Gladly. Then afterward I can take you up on your offer of...hot hybrid sex."

She glared back at him and started her own trek through the thick forest, alone.

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	3. A Whole World Of Crazy

**||A Whole World Of Crazy||**

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"So how has your week been?" Nyah didn't like engaging in useless chit chat. Trying to keep your mind carefree while being asked a million unethical questions about a past she'd rather forget wasn't helping. She sat comfortably across from Shawn in his Acura, keeping her eyes focused on the winding and twisting road ahead of them. They were on their way out for an early dinner and he couldn't seem to get there fast enough. He decided right from the get go to take the long way around. _What joy_. Her phone vibrated in her lap, saving her from answering anymore of his questions. She'd received a text. Sliding her finger across the touch-screen, the monitor welcomed her to the home of her texting task.

**I'm here. Where r u?**

She exited the screen when Shawn leaned over to see what she was up to. "Who was that?" he asked innocently.

"Another client." She batted her eyelashes before tucking the phone back in her pocket. It was a lie, but he wasn't compelled to believe her. He just did.

Shawn grinned mercilessly. "You know how much I hate sharing you."

"It's my job." she replied pointedly. "I don't have time for a real relationship." Implying that she wasn't looking for anything serious ought to change his mind about starting a relationship.

He surprised her by placing his hand over hers, running his large fingers over her own sheer black polished fingertips. "I'd love to start a relationship with you. In fact I wanted to let you know, I've filed for a divorce." His news nearly shocked her. A divorce? A relationship? _With her?_ She hoped he hadn't taken a dose of his patients prescribed medication by mistake because he wasn't thinking clearly at all. She opened her mouth to voice her answer to his idea, but she was startled by him slamming the brakes, and the car swerving to the side of the road.

"What in the world?" he looked across at her. Her gaze remained ahead. Dense smoke rose from a black van, a police cruiser tipped on it's side. It looked to be the disastrous results of an accident.

"I'll call 9-1-1." Shawn reached in his own pants pocket for his cell. She placed a hand on his forearm, motioning for him to wait.

Exiting the car, placing one heel on the road at a time she stepped cautiously closer.

"Where are you going?" Shawn called after her. Nyah stood in the middle of the pavement, listening carefully with her intense hearing ability. Since abandoning the car, she felt the slight breeze spraying wisps of hair around her cheeks and mouth. The day carried a bright summery feeling, but a familiar chill clung to her shoulders.

She heard struggling and groaning coming from inside the overturned van, as well as the stale vervain substance drifting into the air surrounding the site. The odor of blood trickling out from one of the police cruisers sent her grip on control sailing out the window. She felt fangs break through and cover her canines, the animal instinct taking over her entire body. Struggling to keep her sanity for one last moment before letting go, she tried counting to ten. It didn't work.

Shawn had stepped out of the car to try and get better reception for the call he was placing. She sped over to him, startling him since never witnessing her in a half crazed state of mind. "Are you alright?" he asked, dropping the phone.

She growled before gripping his throat and pulling him closer, she met him nearly nose to nose before compelling him to leave. "Go home now. You won't remember going out, only what you've done today at the hospital." She recognized the change in his dark brown pupils as she let him go and he scrambled back to his car obediently. As the screeching of acceleration resounded behind her, she studied the scene. Something wasn't right here. Vervain meant vampires, and if it involved the police then it had to be by the council's orders. The same people who nearly tried to destroy her existence more than eight hundred years ago, the group of people her mother and father had practically built. Thinking clearly past the scent of vervain, she walked over to the steaming van, leaning in to inspect the damage. A blonde woman looked up at her, a glossy eyed stare lighting her fair features. Blood coated the front of her shirt, and her hands were bound tightly with rope, steeped in vervain. "Nik?" she groaned. Noticing that it wasn't who she called out for, her eyes widened.

"N-Nyah? W-what are you doing here?" Her familiar lilt was something similar to the way Nyah spoke a long time ago. Who was this woman and how did she know her name? More importantly what was this all about? Nyah sensed danger, knowing that this wasn't her problem, and it wasn't her priority, she started to back away.

Why risk getting caught by the council saving someone she didn't even know? It was careless thinking and that wasn't her norm, so why did it bug the hell out of her? Something about the blonde reminded her of...something, maybe someone? Nyah shook her head, turning around to leave, but knowing full well she just couldn't. There seemed to always be some kind of opportunity lying in wait, and sometimes she had to take the chance. Besides she may be able to use it to her advantage later on. That's how these things worked, right? I save you, your forever indebted to me._ Yep, that sounded about right._

Nyah leaned in again, preparing herself for the singe of the vervain to her skin, solely letting her mind remain on the fact that she might be making an ally of some sort for her plans later on. Saving someone's life meant they were indebted, so she'd be sure to add this one to the list. Whoever she was.

The blonde seemed to still be in bewilderment as Nyah leaned over and ripped the first set of ropes off her wrists, hardly flinching from the flesh wound she suffered.

"You shouldn't be here." The blonde stammered. Was that the kind of thanks she received after trying to save her? Let's not forget that her date had been canceled too.

Nyah picked up the scent of a human quickly, but not soon enough. She inhaled sharply when a fierce pain radiated through her backside. She gripped the wooden stake that had just been drawn through her chest and groaned when she couldn't remove it immediately. It was entirely too close to her heart, so she didn't risk it. Nyah bent forward and stumbled, succumbing to the darkness surrounding her.

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	4. The Price Of Heroism

**||The Price Of Heroism||**

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Nyah drew in a sharp breath, exhaling heavily, closing her eyes and blinked repeatedly. The pain radiated all the way through her backside and up her spinal cord. What other kind of pain would you experience after being staked through the chest? Using both hands, she clamped down on the wooden rod and with one sharp movement, dislodged the stake from her lower abdominal. At least she hadn't been unconscious for very long, if she were out any longer who knows what they would have shoved through her next. Throwing the instrument to the side, it collided with the wall and echoed in the tight space. Her vision faded and focused while scanning the barred cell, then the cold cement floor where she lay, dazed and nauseous. Her head spun, warding off any ideas of standing. Healing would take effect in a matter of minutes but she groaned anyway. She'd been captured, there was no doubt about that. Now, where the hell was she? Her eyes roamed more of her surroundings, noting that she wasn't the only one here, she sat up a bit straighter, leaning her exhausted frame against the hard expense of wall. After she regained focus, she tried not to move any further than her aching head would allow.

"Is that really you, Nyah?" The familiar accent washed over her in an exhausted slur, much too close to her ear. Nyah looked to her right and grimaced when she saw the blonde she'd saved sitting next to her in another cell. Much too close for her liking. The air held the caustic scent of vervain, which she noticed was blowing in thick currents from a ceiling fan above, keeping her from gaining the full strength she needed back to get out of here. _Good thinking._ She had to give props to whoever remembered to add that special feature to this imprisonment. Then again it was the council, they thought of everything. What an idiot. Letting her mind believe that this whole save-someone-make-an-ally-thing would have actually worked without paying the price of getting caught. What planet was she on? She figured it must be cloud nine if Katherine Pierce was sitting across from her, nearly in neck snapping distance.

Switching gazes from the blonde to the other two strangers in the confinements directly across from her, the brunette massaging her temples caught her abrupt attention, the familiarity raised the hairs on the back of her neck, and started an acrid burning in her stomach, worse than the nausea. _It couldn't be_.

"I thought I killed you." The sound of the blonde's exasperated sigh startled her. Nyah looked across at her, wondering if there was something more she needed to know before she acknowledging that comment. Only, it wasn't addressed to her. She looked over at Katherine who groaned and coughed violently before shaking her head in befuddlement. "Where am I?"

"They thought you were a vampire, so they stuck you in here with us." The blonde answered. Thought? Last time she noticed, Nyah thought, Katherine Pierce was a vampire.

Yes, Rose had turned Katherine in 1492 but Nyah had been the one to show her how to act like a true vamp. She could say that her plan had worked and she took full credit for making Katherine into the soulless woman she was in this day and age. But when one of her own had turned against her, Nyah had threatened to kill her if she ever found out where she was hiding. Looked like today was her lucky day, but there was something odd about Katherine now. She couldn't put her fangs on it.

"Where's Stefan?" Katherine asked leaning against the cell, letting her eyes roam everywhere for a moment before letting her gaze remain on the blonde. Nyah contemplated following this conversation before asking any questions.

"Elena, I'm right here. Are you okay?" Came a strong timbre from a neighboring cell. _Oh, you have got be kidding me_. Stefan Salvatore. Nyah could never forget about him. That had been Katherine's assigned beau to perform her countless tricks on. A human would be easier to start out with, Nyah had thought, then they'd move on. So she let Kath have her fun, but what she didn't expect was for Katherine to actually fall in love with Stefan. It had been a minor setback. One Nyah could fortunately overlook, but Katherine wasn't willing to let go. That's what caused Nyah to leave Katherine on her own. It seemed like everything had come out alright...somehow.

Katherine tried standing, using the bars to pull herself up. More power to her. As much vervain was swirling around her head right now, Nyah was lucky she could see through the smoky haze.

Katherine stumbled before slumping against the rusted bars. "Stefan. I haven't fed." Haven't fed? The girl could live without a drop of blood for a few minutes, she wouldn't die. Not that Nyah cared even if she did. _This way would be more entertaining._

"Ah, I see what's going on here." It was the blonde's turn to speak. "You died with vampire blood in your system, and you didn't feed so now your locked in here with no source of human blood in sight." The blonde glared, surely Katherine must have meandered onto this vamp's bad side at one point in time.

"That _is_ a problem." The blonde supposed, a smirk replacing the delicate lines of her face. Wait? Died with vampire blood in her _system?_

Sensing that Katherine was worried now, Nyah searched for something to say. So far she really wasn't following any of this.

"Just ignore her." Stefan said, trying to stand as well, but failing. The guy hadn't changed since 1864 when Nyah watched Katherine chatting with him in the garden during late hours. The same dirty blonde almost bronze hair contrasted with his pale but tanned skin, and full lips, accompanied by broad shoulders and a muscular back she'd love to rake her nails over. He was human back then, but now as a vampire he looked to be five times more appealing. She felt her interest heighten.

"Has anyone done the math here, or shall I?" The blonde spoke once again, raising her brows as she laid out her thoughts. "I'd say you got less than three hours to feed before I get to watch you die all over again." _Hmmm, a very nice thought_. Nyah smiled, then frowned. This still didn't make a bit of sense. Katherine had turned nearly four hundred years ago, so either this was something new, or...this wasn't Katherine. The brunette used most of her strength and started pulling on the cell bars; again not budging, she slumped to a sitting position already exhausted from her efforts.

The blonde smirked, enhancing her features. "My day just got whole lot better."

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	5. Fade Into The Background

**||Fade Into The Background||**

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After nearly an hour under the inhalation of vervain she felt exhausted and almost sedated.

"Stefan." The brunette's words kept her from falling into the hands off darkness once again. Nyah reached up and tucked her bang behind her ear, trying to keep herself awake was one thing, keeping her mind from going insane from the silence couldn't be helped.

"What happened?" Stefan asked urgently.

"I'm out of time. I need blood...I'm dying." The girl's breath came out in a wheeze, her skin had grown paler, almost a pasty white, and perspiration dotted her forehead in a thick layer. _Wow, she really is dying._

Stefan blinked before his awareness turned into worry. He grabbed the cell bars, and shook them violently. "_Hey!_ Anyone! _Hey_!"

"Oh, shut up." Came the blonde's response, laughing at his pathetic stance.

"You think we're afraid of you?" Stefan yelled, trying to rile up the guards standing outside. All too soon he got his wish. The door to the barn opened and a guard walked in, a hand at his vest drawing out his gun. Nyah could smell fear. She licked her bottom lip at the familiar scent.

The guard cast a sideways glance toward Stefan. "You want more vervain? Keep. It. Down."

Stefan looked defeated but wasn't giving up yet, "Listen to me, Elena is going to die if you don't get her out of here."

The guard looked over at Elena, then back at Stefan. "Sorry. Not my problem."

Stefan shook the cell bars in apparent anger. "She's innocent, let her out."

The guard started to walk away, Nyah moved an inch, trying for the first time to stand up. The brick wall behind her dubbed as her only added support didn't help settle the ground as it started spinning around her.

Stefan wrapped his palms around the bars and shook them again, more violently than the last time. "Let her out."

Before Nyah could inhale the guard fired a round, hitting Stefan in the lower chest. He fell backward and regained his strength trying once again, his voice desperate and booming. "Let her out!" Nyah grimanced when he took another blow to his thigh. Crumpling to the floor Stefan tried to cushion his leg the best he could, groaning as he landed on his left side with a thud of defeat._ What a man._ He would actually take a wooden bullet for the woman he loved, even if that woman happened to be Katherine Pierce. Katherine was trained to be a deceiver, so how had she scored so highly for a man like Stefan Salvatore to stay at her side all these years? Nyah must be desperately missing something. The guard walked out, leaving the barn in an awkward silence.

It was finally her turn to speak, maybe she'd even find a way to sort this mess out. "So does anyone want to tell me what's going on here, or shall I just try and guess?" The English accent that diminished nearly two hundred years ago peaked through her words.

Rebeckah looked over at her, curiousity snapping through her reverie. "Easy," sarcasm oozed from her words, "Stefan is tied to Elena, might I add, because he blames himself for having her turned into a vampire. Which I'm the cause of apparently for running her off a bridge, no doubt."

Nyah watched as Stefan started to work the wooden bullet out of his upper thigh. "Stefan Salvatore." she whispered. "So you aren't any relation to Katherine Pierce are you?" she narrowed her eyes and studied him over the tips of her heels.

Stefan stopped fishing for the bullet and met her eye to eye for a moment, then he refrained back to what he was doing, properly yanking the bullet out the rest of the way, before carelessly throwing it aside. He turned his head to the wall, almost like he was trying to see through to the other side. "Elena, are you still with me?"

"Yeah." A weak and delayed response. Her voice crackled when she spoke. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"No your not." Stefan sighed. "I can hear your breathing." The girl was at the edge of death, nearly ready to fall off. What good would prolonging it do?

"Damon was right, you should have fed this morning." Stefan apologized. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Elena inhaled, her breathing more shallow than before. "You had hope."

Nyah did her best to follow this conversation, her eyes darting over to the blonde's every few moments. She looked content for now, but a trace of longing was hidden underneath her slight smirk.

"It's all I ever wanted you to have, " Elena continued. "And you had it." This was going deeper than she expected. Nyah looked back over at Stefan. The look on his face made her stomach knot, like he was about to lose half of his heart. She knew that look, oh, so well.

"I love you so much." Stefan said, he dodged a quick glance at Nyah. Her heart grew cold.

"Do you know why I was even on that bridge?" Elena asked. She tried blocking out the next thing she said but couldn't find the thoughts to revert her mind out of the conversation.

"I was coming back for you, Stefan. I had to choose." Elena paused. "And I chose you."

Nyah felt like her heart would burst, but it wasn't from the profound scene. It was pure annoyance. Or maybe she was just jealous. This whole thing made her feel sick.

"Because I love you." Elena continued, undaunted by Nyah's look of hatred. The girl was dying anyway. It couldn't be much longer now. This wasn't Katherine. _Oh, but she looked just like her._ The resemblance was uncanny.

She could barely handle anymore of this nonsense. Especially when a lone tear slipped down Stefan's face.

"And no matter what happens. It's the best choice I ever made." Elena finally finished. Nyah let out a sigh of disgust. She glanced over at the blonde, hoping to find the same leer on her face, but the ever present longing was still there. _Well, whatdaya know._

Nyah's mind twisted, holding back a solid grin. A plan formatted in her mind. Here she thought to leave Mystic Falls early. Well, plans always did have a way of changing.

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	6. The Price Of Progression

**||The Price Of Progression||**

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"She said, she's not strong enough." Jeremy Gilbert tried his best to convince him, but knew it wouldn't be enough. Delighted that the young lad had come to that conclusion Niklaus studied the young witch, his anger exceeding past his limits already.

"You were strong enough to put me in here. Surely, your strong enough to get me out."

Niklaus was still in Tyler's body. And not happy about it. At all. He studied the cavern lit up with candles of every width and height before pinning his focus back on Bonnie Bennett.

"I upset the spirits trying to save Elena, I can't use that kind of magic again. It's too dangerous." Bonnie said, defiance in her gaze. Well, being nice wouldn't work.

"Bonnie, do the bloody spell." Niklaus rumbled. Being so used to his own voice getting through on the first hammering of words, it was unfortunate that Tyler's vocals didn't hold the same appeal.

"She said she can't, okay." Caroline voiced. He turned to glare at her and she hurriedly rephrased her words. "We'll just wait a few days for you to be strong enough so we can do it with traditional magic, right Bonnie?"

He turned back to Bonnie who still held a look. And it wasn't the look of progress.

Niklaus was willing to do anything to get out of this body, and that meant anything.

He teared at the flimsy gray t-shirt he wore and ripped part of it open, revealing some of Tyler's upper chest. Breathing heavily he focused on pulling out the predatory side of himself. His nails elongated into claws. Exhaling, he used the talons to extract Tyler's heart, moaning when he felt the sudden pain, pulling apart the flesh.

"What are you doing?" Caroline looked ready to interfere, but not quite sure how.

Niklaus groaned again before looking at her. "Ripping Tyler's heart out, I'll jump into someone else." He cast a glance Jeremy's way. "Maybe you." He let them suffer through hearing another agonized cry.

"Just...stop." Caroline's voice held traces of tears. He wouldn't stop. Not for her or anyone else, not until he heard the words...

"He's bluffing. He needs a witch to do that." Jeremy said, trying to ease Caroline's fear.

"What make's you think I don't have one? Or ten?" Niklaus would make the decision easy. "Pick Bonnie! You or Tyler." He drew out part of Tyler's heart, nearly close to extracting the whole thing. He grit his teeth stifling another rasp of pain.

"Stop...please. Your killing him." Caroline's bawl evoked an immediate response from Bonnie.

"Fine. I'll do it." Bonnie succumbed to his torment. Reluctantly, Niklaus stopped. Pushing the organ back into Tyler's chest, satisfied with her answer. He panted slightly. If that's how things would go, then he'd do it. Only to get what he wanted. "Good. Let's begin."

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	7. The Fine Line Between Love & Hate

**||The Fine Line Between Love & Hate||**

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So far Nyah had realized two things while being locked away. That Elena was not Katherine, but obviously her doppelganger. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Maybe the constant inhalation of vervain was doing something to her mind. Which brought her back to the plan in motion, she hated the feeling of being locked up any longer.

She coughed, and struggled to stand. The floor around her spun, and she clung to the cold bars of the cell. Nyah hated being so helpless, so weak. It wasn't in her personality. She liked to be in control most of the time, and this sitting around wasn't accomplishing anything. There would be no more waiting around, she had to get out of here.

The guard entered the barn again, this time accompanied by another fear laced deputy. They both walked to the end of the row of cells, opening an empty one, preparing it.

"I got this. Bring the other one in." Oh no, not another one. Nyah thought. This had to stop now. Stefan glanced at the blonde sending her a look, receiving a slight nod.

Nyah could try and figure a way out, or she could let these fine people do the work for her. _Good plan_. Falling back against the support of the wall she let the chill of the cement soothe her warm skin.

"Excuse me." The blonde coughed abruptly. "Hello, sir." Another round of fitful coughing.

The guard approached her, carefully loading a wooden round into his 9mm. "I thought I told you to shut up."

Harsh much? Nyah felt like ripping out his larynx. If only he wasn't so far away from her.

"Here's the thing, my family w-we have money." The blonde went on. "Castles, apartments, jewelry, just name your price and let me out of here." Surely it couldn't be that easy. If so, Nyah could have been out of here by now.

The guard sneered. "I'd much rather watch you die."

The blonde lurched at him, leering and baring her fangs. With a startled leap he fell backward right into Stefan's awaiting hands who took the accident to his advantage. Bringing the guards head against the metal bars, repeatedly crushing his skull he finally released the guard, letting the lifeless body slump to the ground. Blood seeped from the wound and created a large expanding puddle towards Elena. Nyah felt the veins under her eyes enlarge at the familiar scent of it. Elena, as weak as she was turned her head to the side and found the source of the blood. Using up the remaining strength she had, digging down deep inside herself, she leaned as far towards the puddle as possible. She has guts. Nyah liked that kind of attitude, loved that she didn't need encouragement to keep reaching for it. Elena pressed three fingers into the puddle. Nyah held her breath. The soon to be vamp touched her fingers to her lips relishing in her first taste of blood. _Completing the transition._

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	8. The End Game

**||The End Game||**

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Nyah didn't think that she'd be getting a free bail out card after mentioning Katherine to Stefan. Who was she kidding? So it was only right that she put her big girl fangs on and do it herself. That's how things always were. Always would be. She was always alone, accomplishing and planning things on her own. It only seemed to come out right when she did tasks that way, otherwise there'd be a few bumps and dribbles to overcome, accidents she couldn't afford to be making. Not now, with other vengeful vampires after her. That's why she set up a meeting with one of The Brotherhood Of The Five, a meeting she had probably missed due to her hero escapade. The blonde sitting next to her had fallen for that façade of Stefan and Elena's. But what had that earned her? She was still incapacitated. Still cell bound. A few minutes ago she'd witnessed Elena's transition and it'd been anything but a magical fairy tale, but during those moments Nyah had come to a realization. Maybe. Just maybe she could start all over. Reverse what had been lost once so many years ago. What plans Katherine had destroyed. Her mind reeled. What if she could make Elena into a better vampire than Katherine, what if...

She had to slow down and actually think about this for a split second. She could really start all over for once, reveal to Elena the vampire she truly was. What she could become. The more she started putting the pieces together in her mind the greater her plan became. _Oh, this was going to be good._

A while ago, Stefan and Elena had left she and the blonde to fend for themselves. Nyah's strength had somewhat come back after the air filter fanning vervain had turned itself off. Now maybe if she gripped the bars hard enough she could get out of here. Eventually putting her initial plan into motion. She wouldn't be leaving Mystic Falls anytime soon now. First, she'd have to go look up Katherine, find out if she'd been in the area recently, and if she had any sort of connection with Elena besides being her doppelganger. Being rid of one doppelganger would cause less problems. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too hard. Then again, nothing was ever easy.

"So when did you arrive in town?" the blonde shifted her weight, coughing slightly as vervain still lingered heavily in the air.

Nyah leaned against the cells barred door and used a little force to draw it toward her. The door gave a little leadway._ Finally, progress_. She turned to address the blonde's question. "I'm sorry. I don't conjure up conversations with others I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't-" the blonde's eyes widened a bit. "You mean you don't know who I am?"

Nyah gave her a look. Should she know her identity? It was probably best she didn't. A loud groan sounded as she finished bending the cell bars towards her. The cell door eventually gave way from the rusted hinges and Nyah laid the remaining pieces against the opposite side of her cell. Now onto other things that matter in life. Like revenge. She'd have to make a mental reminder to leave her heroine antics for another day. Walking past the now empty cells and the lifeless deputy on the floor, she listened to her heels clicking on the stone cold cement. The blood spilling from the dead deputy didn't entice her as much as before, she liked her blood warm, the pulse still throbbing. And sometimes she liked to chase it down. Too much of it could cause her to go AWOL, but she'd reined herself in before, and now she was limited.

"Wait, wait, where are you going?" The blonde called, her voice echoing off the walls. Nyah forced herself not to turn around and roll her eyes.

What did the blonde want now?

"Aren't you going to let me out?" Huh. She wanted freedom. Well, freedom always did come with a price. Nyah thought for second, maybe everything she'd planned earlier would pan out after all. She wet her lips and turned slightly to face her asset.

"Do you know Elena Gilbert?" Nyah drawled out every word long and casually, although that slight mischievous purr peeked through. Swallowing partly, she hid it.

"Of course." The blonde replied in clear disgust. "Who doesn't." That was something to take into consideration. It would be easier to figure things out about Elena if people knew her face. And if she had someone tracking her who she suspected despised her.

"So...does she know Katerina?" Nyah meant it as a casual question also but the blonde still smirked at her.

"What do you want to know about Katherine?"

Nyah took two steps away from the cell where the blonde sat, not looking to move from her place anytime soon. She had thought to make her intentions a little more clear.

"Easy, I'm going to find her." Nyah chose her words carefully, letting her anger boil for a moment. "And then I'm going to kill her." That fact wasn't all true, Nyah didn't plan on killing Katherine. But Katherine did owe her something, and personally she was indebted to her in some way, perhaps it was what happened in the last hundred years. The times Katherine felt she needed to turn against Nyah to get what she wanted, whoever and whatever that might have been at the time. _Nah, that couldn't be it._

Nyah started to walk away once again. It was nearly sun down by now, and the barn was increasingly darkening. How long had they been locked up in here anyway? She brought her iphone out of her pocket. A nifty little gadget she wished she had five hundred years ago, to check the time. It was nearing 7:30pm. What a day. First you go out on a date with a man who has to be on some kind of drug to even want to be seen with you in public, then you try and help a vampire, get staked in the back, and find out about Katherine's doppleganger. Yep, that just about concluded her day. Her phone vibrated, the screen shouting out a reminder.

**Meet Connor at Mystic Grill.**

Underneath the reminder was a notification that she'd received a text right after her date with Shawn had been interrupted, and she'd been captured by the council.

**Where r u? U r late.**

She took her time texting him back. **Plans changed. Called a last minute meeting.**

"I can help you." The blonde blurted clinging to the cell bars. Nyah smiled into the dimness, tucking her phone back into her pocket, noting that she no longer wore her expensive wool coat. Those were the exact words she wanted to hear. But were they truthful?

"If you let me out of here, I can help you. Whatever you need." Ah, so there's the catch. She didn't take lightly to bargains, or bets, but she'd cross her fingers that she'd be running into the blonde sometime later. So she'd wait it out. Nyah set a smirk, feeling confident for the first time about this plan. Her heels echoed as she sauntered out, calling over her shoulder. "Do it yourself."

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	9. A Distant Memory

**||A Distant Memory||**

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Niklaus carefully placed bags of the doppleganger's blood into a cooling unit, awaiting the time when he would be able to use it and make more hybrids. In his hearing he picked up the reverberating steps of Rebekah as she found his whereabouts.

"How dare you save Caroline over me." Her blonde hair fell past her shoulders and her shirt was still stained with blood from todays excitement. Did she very well care that he was even alive?

He ignored her question and rearranged the blood bags. "Hello brother, I thought you were dead. So pleased your not." He voiced what he expected her to say, not what her intended meaning held earlier.

"You left me." Her words held bitter betrayal. Something, he would have thought, she should have gotten used to by now.

He turned to her, wanting to be done with the conversation already. Caroline was safe. Rebeckah was alive because she couldn't be killed. There were no problems, at least not that he could see, or wanted to admit.

"I only had time to save one of you, and since you can't be killed...oh but rest assured, I had a worse day than you." He was very pleased that his little plan had worked and Bonnie had done the spell correctly. He couldn't stand to be in werehide's body any longer than he wanted to. Now to move on with his current plans and put all this bickering aside.

"I think it's time we move on, find some more werewolf's." And he knew just where to look. He'd already arranged to pay them an unannounced visit tomorrow.

"So you can make more of your hybrid family." Rebeckah grated between clenched teeth, on the verge of letting tears spill out. "You don't know anything about family."

"Oh, I do know how easily they can be silenced with a dagger." Klaus knew he'd struck a nerve with her. Maybe enough that she'd leave him alone. Rebeckah retrieved one of the blood bags from the unit and held it unsteadily shoulder height before throwing it out of his reach.

"No!" he shouted, but knew she had no intentions of stopping. The bag hit a hard surface and splattered in every direction. She reached down and picked up the remaining two bags of blood, the last remnants of Elena's human blood. He growled deep in his throat after surveying the mess before turning around to his deranged sister. Maybe if he spoke to her calmly she'd think about what she was doing.

"Drop them." he said, exhaling.

"I warned you. My heart broke thinking I would never see you again." Rebeckah sobbed, and let out a whimper.

"Put the blood down, Rebekah, that's a good girl." She still held them out, ready to destroy his future plans. He dodged glances at both blood bags wondering if he'd be quick enough to catch them if she threw them in the same direction.

"It's always been me. Not Finn, not Elijah, not Kol. Me." Fresh tears clouded her vision. He noted the look of dejection on her face, but shrugged it off. He didn't have feelings for anyone, not even the concerns of his little sister.

"I loved you through everything and you don't even care."

Niklaus was fed up with this, all he wanted were his blood bags. "Drop it!" he bellowed.

"You want your family?" Rebeckah went against his demands and squeezed the remaining bags within her grasp, the blood coated the floor. He ground his fists already past the point of anger. "Here's your family." She released the now empty bags of blood.

He sped over to her, rage credible on his features. He clutched her throat and held her firm, nearly lifting her off the ground as he spoke. She gasped for air and moaned. "You know what Rebeckah, your right. I don't care." He paused. "From this moment on you are not my family. Not my sister. You. Are. Nothing."

Through the tight hold he had on her, Rebeckah managed to gasp out. "Just. Like. Nyah."

Klaus felt his mouth open, then close. He used both hands, grabbing Rebeckah's neck he used little strength to find the correct bone formation, and with a flick of his wrists, snapped it. Rebeckah crumpled to the floor beneath him, and he took two steps away, inhaling for a few moments. Nyah would always mean more than nothing to him, and she'd practically told him the same thing...before he'd compelled her to forget about him completely. He forced his mind to forget all about that night. About her. He had other plans to think about now. Nyah was nothing more than a distant memory.

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	10. Meeting Danger

**||Meeting Danger||**

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"So what are you planning next?" Nadia Bennett stood in the bedroom doorway, waving a high heel stiletto in one hand and a black dress with red satin lining in the other as she twirled around before setting the dry cleaned dress on the bed, the black pumps on the floor.

Nyah exhaled, still exhausted from yesterday's charade. She ran her hand over her arms, trying to protect them from the sudden chill coming off the acrylic bathtub and the cooling water.

"A good magician doesn't reveal all her secrets, Nadia, you should know by now."

Nadia appeared from around the corner, her caramel skin and black hair with brown highlights pulled up in a sharp ponytail, plenty of loose curly tendrils falling around her heart-shaped face. "Ha, did your little run in with vervain yesterday do something to your mind?"

Nyah remained staring ahead, running a hand through her long damp hair. "I don't believe so." With everything that had gone on yesterday she could have lost half her mind in the process.

"Okay, because last time I checked I was the witch." Nadia disappeared through the doorway once again, then returned with two more dresses from Nyah's expanding closet on hangers, a delighted smile on her face. "Which one?" she asked, waving each one in a fluid motion.

Nyah inhaled slowly, then turned to display a smirk. "I'm really not in the mood right now, Nadia."

It was either a choice between a black miniskirt with a black and white criss-cross fabric overcoat, or an all black thigh length dress with a bright traffic cone orange belt, shoes to match. This forgotten wealth came in handy sometimes with her kind of style. Nyah's favorite style was laid back and elegant, sometimes classy and sophisticated, then it eventually spurred onto fierce and sexy. So far this morning she wasn't feeling any of those things. Truth be told she felt sort of nervous.

Her plan had worked out fine but there were still a few nips and twists that needed to be sorted out before it was smooth sailing.

"It really doesn't matter, both of them say fierce." Nadia returned to the bedroom holding out the outfit she'd chosen: the black dress with the orange belt. Nyah would never get tired of having Nadia as a companion. She'd saved the witch from certain death in New Orleans, and since then they'd acquired an admirable friendship. Nadia's teasing nature could get her into trouble sometimes, but Nyah could count on her. She was certain to be her only true friend.

"So what's up with all this hunter mess?" Nadia asked since she hadn't voiced her opinion on the last question she'd asked, knowing that she didn't feel like talking. Nothing separated the bathroom from her bedroom except for the solid oak door that stood all the way open so they could communicate while giving each other plenty of privacy. Why couldn't Nadia change in her own room?

"Easy, I hired him to keep the others chasing us away." The pair were easily outnumbered by the party hunting them due to a deal that'd gone bad thanks to Nyah seducing the boss to follow through with her plans. She had to pay the price, but she wasn't scared. And neither was Nadia.

"Have you met him yet?" Nadia asked. She'd finished changing by now, so she stepped out and sauntered across the hardwood flooring in heels too high for Nyah's articulate taste, but she'd bought them anyway. She studied her for a second, noticing that the witch really did look like a Ziahev in the making.

"Like a said, fierce." Nadia snapped her thumb and forefinger, making a zig-zag line across her outfit. She didn't care for Nyah's two sense, and she didn't plan on giving it.

Nyah put a hand to her head, trying desperately to hold in a laugh at her fierce remark. "You are going to help me out today, right?"

Nadia stepped a little closer, giving Nyah privacy in her bath that lacked bubbles. "You mean with that whole doppelgänger thing? Yeah, I'm down." Nyah nearly shared all her plans with her friend, but some she kept to herself. That's how it worked. She didn't need to know more than what Nyah wanted. She'd learned from the past "never let anyone know your full plans" otherwise they'd have an advantage to her well laid out scheme.

She shook her head at Nadia's adaption to the 21st Century language, refraining back to what she'd just said. "When did all civility flee your mind?"

Nadia thought for a moment. "Probably sometime after I met you."

Nyah rolled her eyes, knowing full well her friend had been as well rounded as she when it came to being civil.

"So are you planning on getting something done today, or staying in there sulking until you become a prune?" The witch asked, fixing the orange belt around her waist. "You have any earrings?" Nadia asked massaging her empty lobes. "This outfit needs some earrings." She then returned to her friend's bedroom.

Nyah sighed, supposing that she'd spent enough time in thought already. It was time to put her strategy in motion, but knowing that one wrong move or word could bring this whole thing back to bite her, worried her senseless. She could do this. She could do this.

Nyah fished for the long burgundy robe on the floor beside the tub, standing she let the water drip off her skin before fitting her arms through the holes and tying the cinch. Nadia fastened the last bright orange hoop in her ear before admiring herself in the full length mirror.

"Are you finished?" Nyah asked, entering her bedroom.

Nadia turned to face her. "The proper use of words today are, 'ya done', I believe."

"I didn't ask for English lessons, Nad." She looked at the dress on the bed and wrinkled her nose. It was elegant and classy, but not something she would wear to a meeting with one of The Five. To fit her new alias she would need to look a little more professional. Like she actually belonged as part of the council. She picked the dress up by the hanger and returned it to the closet.

Nadia finished her look with a tube of dark shaded lipstick, and a couple florescent orange bracelets.

"I'm going to go find my dress for the memorial this afternoon while I'm out." Nyah said, combing through her clothes to find the one pantsuit she loved to wear.

"Why?" Nadia asked. "We don't even know the people who died."

She snatched the correct hanger once she found the pantsuit and held it out in front of her. "Yes, but our doppelgänger does, so there's a very good chance she'll be there."

"What about the hunter?"

Nyah sighed, biting her lower lip. Thinking about all she had to do today already made her feel weary. "Once thing at a time, Nadia, one thing at a time."

A few minutes later, after adding some foundation Nadia took her exit and headed downstairs to make herself a cup of coffee, something Nyah never had a use for. Caffeine didn't do anything for her, there was the ever resulting crash that happened afterwards, she'd seen it in humans. Why would she want to do that to her body, even if she wasn't technically alive anymore. None-the-less she stayed away from it. Alcohol was another beverage entirely. Something she could withstand.

She slipped on the pantsuit taking her time to button up her top, a stylish solid black vest, before she picked up the sound of the doorbell ringing downstairs. The only accessory she remembered to swap was her daylight bracelet, instead of wearing it on her arm she unsnapped the silvery indigo charm, and raised the fabric on her pants leg, fastening it around her ankle. No need to tip off the hunter during the meeting that she was indeed an immortal also. Her hair had air dried, returning to it's formal shine and sleek black texture, the bangs occasionally fell in her eyes adding a seductive gesture to her stance. The doorbell rang once again, breaking her normal morning routine.

"Can you get that?" Nadia yelled upstairs. What was she doing down there anyway? Nyah slipped into a pair of heels that gave her a ten centimeter difference in height. Walking over to the bedroom door, she snapped her fingers knowing that she'd forgotten her cell phone on the dresser. Retracing her steps, she picked up the cell phone, clicking on the screen to show that she was already fifteen minutes late for her meeting with the hunter. Ugh. She hated being late.

The doorbell rang again, and she hurriedly paced down the long staircase, then through the foyer. She stopped to send a text to the hunter, taking her time to type the correct words. She didn't do well with text-speak, resuming to take the time to spell the full word didn't waste her time.

On my way now. I'll meet you there.

Watching the text send, she turned the doorknob and looked up. She was taken aback by the form standing on the top step. It was none other then the blonde. Talk about plans falling together. Her mind reeled once again at the possibilities, and what she had in store for her little colleague.

"So...I didn't catch your name last time." Mainly she didn't care then, but now she certainly did.

"Rebeckah. Rebeckah Mikealson." The name didn't ring a bell, but it seemed to hold some importance. Nyah studied her from head to toe.

"Do you like wearing shirts with bloodstains, or am I missing another trend?"

Rebeckah seemed at a lose for words, peering down at her shirt. "No, I just never changed."

"Well, then." Nyah said, plastering on a smile. "Come on in, I know I have something in here you can change into."

She had invited her in, now Rebeckah could freely come and go as she pleased, which she would be doing in the near future if and when Nyah went over the plans she had in the works. Rebeckah studied the expanse of the foyer, letting her eyes rest on the large spiral staircase and the marble flooring.

"I would give you a tour of the place, but I'm sure Nadia will do that while I'm gone."

Rebeckah studied Nyah, it was clear she had a million questions to ask, but she kept quiet.

"I'm not sure what you did to find me, but I'm glad you did." She gathered her purse off the small table in the foyer, the car keys in her right hand.

"Nyah." Rebeckah called, just before she opened the front door. She still often wondered how the blonde knew her name, but she wouldn't worry about it. There may have been a time and place she'd come in contact with the blonde and she was bound to forget a face or two.

"Yes?" She asked, not taking the time to turn around.

"Do you think I could talk you into letting me stay here awhile?"

Nyah smiled slyly. Why was it getting so easy to get exactly what she wanted?

"We will talk about arrangements when I get back." And they would definitely talk. Nyah slammed the large door shut behind her and made her way out to her Nissan Altima, still dreading the thought of being late.

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	11. Alexandra Kelsing

**||Alexandra Kelsing||**

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Connor Jordan ran a hand over his bald head and cast a glance around Mystic Grill, studying the empty booths and tables. It was still early yet for anyone to be here, but it'd probably get crowded around lunch time. A couple people lingered around, but no serious conversation carried on. He studied his cell phone, sending out another text to the member of the council who'd called him in to exterminate the heavy vampire population in Mystic Falls. A weird name for a town. He hoped to get rid of these vampires easily, but it might prove to be a challenge, which was alright with him. The challenging, the better.

**I'm here. Booth to your left.**

The text popped up on his screen and he picked up his phone, looking around. His eyes started on the floor then up the long length of legs hidden underneath black slacks that gripped curves, then a vest with three inch buttons that folded against a flat stomach and amble upper chest, her hair was pulled slightly back in a high ponytail with bangs adding an angle to her face, the sex appeal nearly floated off of her in waves. In contrast to her smooth skin, she wore a pair of glasses that glided on the tip of her nose, giving off a sort of naughty librarian look. This wasn't the type of person he expected, but he couldn't tell if she was a man or a woman through text since she'd kept her number anonymous. She smiled, motioning to an empty booth she was standing beside, digging in her purse before sitting down she fetched her day planner and held it out in front of her. Almost giddy, but keeping a stoic expression he walked over, sitting opposite her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss..." her name escaped him.

"Alexandra Kelsing." she reached her hand across the table and shook his. He didn't let go right away, she looked down at her day planner and blushed.

"So I hear your having a bit of a pollution problem." Connor liked to use the words to refrain from saying vampires.

"Excuse me, what?" Alexandra's face contorted in confusion.

He leaned in over the table, letting his arms rest on the overused texture. "What I meant was vampires, just go along with it." he whispered.

"Oh, yes." Alexandra blushed again, casting a casual glance around the room. "Well my..." she swallowed. "pollution problem is getting out of control and I want it stopped. It's already cost so many lives and families in Mystic Falls, including..." she inhaled softly. "The entire council."

His eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Well yesterday, Pastor Young received an anonymous tip on the vampires here in Mystic Falls. He tried putting a stop to it himself by capturing them but the numbers were overpowering so he hired some reinforcements. We all gathered in his farm house for a meeting later on in the day, that's why I missed your meeting, and I'm so terribly sorry about that."

"No, no, it's okay." Connor took both of her hands and ran his thumb over the smoothness of her skin. She didn't seem to mind at his unexpected gesture but he couldn't resist.

"That's pretty much when all hell broke lose." she continued. "The vampires, in order to live here, would need to get rid of the council, so they blew up the farmhouse."

Connor digested the news. "I left just in time, before the meeting was over, but I fear that when the vampires figure out I'm still alive they'll kill me, and I need someone to protect me."

She shrugged her shoulders and put on a grim frown that didn't do anything to mess up her flawless features. "I'm the only witness."

"Well, I'll see what I can do." There was no way he'd refuse this offer, not when the person needing his services was this attractive.

She smiled, pushing the bangs away from her eyelids casually. "I don't want you to go out of your way just for me, it's really for all of Mystic Falls."

"What do you need me to do first?" He was already on board with this situation, and he'd take on as much as she threw at him.

"I need you to go out and investigate the farmhouse, maybe you can get some kind of evidence that the police missed, find out who the identities of the vampires might be."

He nodded his head. "Anything else?"

She bit her bottom lip, thinking. "Well, maybe if you have some free time you could come and watch me at the funeral today. I have to attend, it only seems right since I'm part of the council. It would make me feel a little more...secure."

"I can definitely do that."

She pulled away from his grasp on her hands, sorting through her purse for something unknown. "Great! Now, I'm not sure how much this is going to cost me, so I guess you'll charge me afterward."

"That won't be necessary, Miss Kelsing."

Alexandra smiled, showing off brilliant white teeth too perfect for anyone's mouth. "So what do you want?"

"If the thought crosses my mind, I'll run it by you." He got up to walk away, hearing the final words cross her lips. "Perfect."

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	12. Playing It Off

**||Playing It Off||**

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Nyah thought she played her alias off very well considering how nervous she was about meeting the hunter in the first place. Now as he walked away she felt like jumping up and down. How good was she?

Judging by how great the conversation went, this was going to be easy. It wasn't hard to figure out what Connor wanted from her, wasn't it on every man's mind when they noticed her? She wouldn't dwell on the subject now, though in a couple hours she'd be attending the funeral, no doubt she would see him and the idea may come up again. Nyah lifted up the plastic screen on her day planner and found the rest of the details of her day listed.

**Meeting w/ Hunter**

**Pick Up Dress**

**Memorial Service - 12:00pm**

Now she was on her way to pick up the dress. While driving she dialed Nadia's phone number, the witch answered on the first ring, sounding none too happy.

"How dare you leave me alone with an Original vampire!" Nadia raged.

"I can hear your enthusiam, but I wasn't aware the girl was an Original." However now she knew. To have an Original vampire or her side would make things quite interesting.

"So what do you want me to do with her?" Nadia asked, like she was supposed to perform some kind of spell.

"She's part of our plan, Nadia. Just show her around, and be a good hostess." Nyah really didn't have time for this, but she was more concerned that Nadia would shoo Rebeckah off and ruin her plans.

"Oh, no. This isn't our plan, this...this is your plan, and I don't like where it's going."

"Just trust me." Nyah knew what she was doing, otherwise she wouldn't be the brains of this operation.

"Trust you! Next time you invite the grim reaper into your house, you really need to think about telling somebody."

"Have fun, Nad." She voiced, closing her phone. A text appeared on her screen from Nadia nearly as soon as she set the phone down in the console.

**U know what would make me feel better**?

Nyah texted back. **What?**

Another text. **If u buy me 1 of those fab dresses from Mystic Falls boutique.**

Nyah smirked, wondering if she would be able to find anything there to wear to a funeral.

**As long as you come to the funeral with me I'll buy you whatever you want.**

A few moments passed before another text appeared, followed by the ringtones chirp.

**Done. I already ordered them. They should be ready for pickup when you get there.**

Well then her plans of trying to find a dress were out of the equation. This was going to be a great day, she already had two things done. Check and check.

She texted back. **Thanks, Nad. **

Arriving at the Mystic Falls boutique, Nyah pulled her Nissan close to the sidewalk and grabbed her cell phone before exiting the drivers side. It vibrated before she even approached the door to the boutique. Shawn Sterling's Caller ID shown across the screen. She smiled before answering it. With all the so called 'fun' taking place yesterday she'd nearly forgotten about him.

"Hey, love." Blech. She hated how her accent had come back, at least it came and went. She'd done her best to cover it up while talking to Connor.

"Hey, beautiful. I was wondering if you were free today, I set something up for us in the gazebo. Free for lunch?"

"Awh, today." she sucked in a breath. "I don't think I can make it, I'm really busy. I hope you understand."

"That's fine. Maybe tomorrow then?" Tomorrow was fine, as long as everything went according to plan.

"Sure, I'll check my plans. See you then."

"Alright. I love you."

She opened her mouth then closed it, searching for words and wondering if she should return the endearment. A swift movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention. Knowing that someone was behind her, she turned slowly, phone still placed near her ear. She held in a gasp, feeling her heart rate skip a beat. "Shawn. I'll see you later."

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	13. The Ace & The Spade

**||The Ace & The Spade||**

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Nyah wet her lips. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, not so much as scared for one moment. It was only him.

Sawyer Thompson frowned grimly, studying her. His loosely trimmed blonde hair and blue eyes were something she remembered. He was part of the posse of vampires, Diego Fernando had rounded up to hunt and find her, along with Nadia. It certainly helped when men inside the group were on the girls' side, the side that didn't want to see them killed.

"It's nice to see you again too, Nyah. Have you missed me?" Well, she hadn't missed his annoying tone no matter how cute he was. And she had to admit it was a surprise to see him since she'd moved from Chicago nearly eleven months ago, therefore become interested in other topics besides missing him since that time frame. "So what's the status report, did Diego finally give up?" Nyah crossed her arms, sure that she'd yet outsmarted another man. This would be a record, three men in two days. Well Shawn didn't really count, but whatever.

"Not really, but thanks to my help I've led him off your path for quite awhile, until now." Sawyer's features turned serious.

"What do you mean until now?" Nyah was certain she wouldn't like this news.

"Diego is in Mystic Falls." There's a shock. "And he doesn't plan on giving up until he finds you, or Nadia."

"Well, then let him." Nyah shrugged her shoulders feeling none too worried. Noticing that the store clerk at the Mystic Boutique was about to take an early lunch, she caught her attention. "Excuse me, I need to pick up my dresses, would you mind waiting?" The store clerk nodded, then returned back inside.

"So let me get this straight...you want me to let Diego find you?" Sawyer grabbed her upper arm and she tried to shrug him off but he wouldn't let go.

"Wow, you really are a blonde." She yanked her arm out of his strong grasp and reached inside her slacks and pulled out a pair of designer sunglasses, it gave her an air of deadly authority when she wore them, even when the sun hid behind the clouds.

"What tricks are you playing here, Nyah?" Sawyer asked, his eyes narrowed, seeking out the reason why she wasn't worried in the least bit about the situation.

"Let's just say I have more in store for Diego than he's prepared for, so mark my words when I say, bring it on."

She walked away, leaving Sawyer standing by her car. "You don't want to do this, Nyah. You have no idea what kind of hell with rain down on you." he called after her, warning in his tone.

Nyah laughed bitterly. With all the artillery she had lined up, it'd be one interesting war. "I have one hell of an umbrella."

With that, she sidestepped his frame. Inside the dress shoppe she rummaged through her purse looking for her cell phone and the receipt for the sales clerk to help find the dresses Nadia had ordered. Not bothering to turn around, knowing that Sawyer was long gone already, befuddled as to why she wasn't worried about Diego's closeness. She had a hunter to protect her now. Though she wouldn't come through with the payment he had in mind, things would be quite negotiable after he finished what he'd come here for. Walking up to the checkout counter, Nyah handed her cell phone to the clerk. The petite brunette brought up the order on the stores computer fairly quickly, then abandoned the counter to see about the dresses. Nyah took the time allowed to call Nadia's cell once more.

"Who have you invited to stay with us now?" Nadia asked, in a less than thrilled tone.

"What?...oh, let it go, Nad." She might as well get straight to the point. "Diego's in town."

There was silence on the other line for a moment. "How? I mean how did he manage to find-"

"I don't know." Nyah cut her off. "But what I do know is that you need to keep a look out for any of his crew members." She paused. "I ran into Sawyer."

"Really?" Nadia asked, interest clearly piqued. "Does he still have that blonde hair?"

"Nad, it's not really the best time to be talking about traits here. Focus." Nyah rolled her eyes, her hair draping around her right shoulder.

"Right." Nadia said, sounding more concentrated than before. "Are you sure the man doesn't wear contact lenses, because his eyes are very blue, like not a sky blue, more like an ocean blue you know what I mean..."

"Nad!" Nyah tried not to raise her voice at Nadia's constant babbling. No one milled around the store at this hour, so she was lucky not to recieve a look or two.

"I'm sorry. I'm focused. Just tell me what I need to do and I'll do it." That was one of the things she loved most about Nadia. Her get it done attitude never failed to show through every circumstance, even though her babbling episode she could gladly do without.

"Well first I need you to escort Rebeckah out because your coming to the funeral with me, and I can't have her in my house all alone."

"She already left." Nadia replied faintly through the reciever.

Nyah gripped the phone tighter, knowing it wasn't a bad connection. "_What_? Where did she go?"

"Don't get all twisted fang girl, I didn't send her away. She said she'd come back later."

"And how soon is later, Nadia?" Nyah demanded, fighting the urge to jump down her friend's throat. Her temper flared easily.

"Between now and never, right after not gonna happen o'clock."

"What did you do, Nad?" This could ruin her whole plan. Oh. This could ruin everything.

A laugh penetrated the reciever. "I'm just messing with you, Ny. But seriously she said she'd come back later."

Nyah didn't know what to say so she ground out between her teeth. "Thank you, Nadia."

"Anything for you, Ny." Sarcasm dripped from each word, and with that she disconnected the call.

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	14. The Memorial

**||The Memorial||**

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Connor pushed the door to the farmhouse open, it squeaked eerily before he entered, shining his flashlight around the charred crime scene. Yellow labels were placed around the remains of what could be depicted as furniture and little fabric left of carpet. At the moment he wasn't so sure what he might be looking for. His flashlight picked up the reflective edge of a lighter. He crouched close to the floor, examining it without the ability to pick it up and study it further. So a lighter had been used to ignite the farmhouse but how had it spread? He stood, shining the beam of light over near the stove covered in ashes. He studied the stove top, noticing that it was indeed a gas stove, he looked for the gas hose. It was, as he expected, pulled out of socket. Well that explained that. He pulled open the door to the stove and found a letter, unharmed from the explosion and flames in a tan envelope with the name April scrawled across it in a calligraphy style.

He opened up the letter hurriedly, scanning over the writing. His eyes picked up the words, necessary sacrifice and greater evil.

He'd have to run this by Alexandra, just to see if it meant anything to her. There were other things that still needed to be sorted out, like why the mayor hadn't come to the meeting regarding the councils death.

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**T.P.B.B.**

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"If it's not obvious, this is the last time I'm letting you buy me a dress." Nyah opened the door to her Nissan, stepping out onto the pavement, feeling the breeze whip her hair, a slight chill creeping up her backside from the one shouldered dress.

"When I think of a funeral, I'm thinking I want to mourn, but I want to party afterward, so I felt that I covered two topics in one dress." Nadia stepped out of the passengers side, her thigh length ladylike chic dress with a black flowery pattern flowing down the fabric and sleeves, and a thin black leather belt wrapped around her waist; small black bow heels completed her look with a dark red jeweled bracelet, and a tinge of red lipstick. Nyah had been so upset about her dress she didn't even have time to find something to accessorize with it besides a pair of lace covered heels, some large ring hoops, and chapstick she'd found in the glove compartment. Yes, the dress was thigh length, it gripped all her curves and she loved the intricate lace draping over the dark fabric but it wasn't meant for a funeral.

"I didn't know you'd become my fashion advisor, Nadia." Nyah joined her on the sidewalk and they started a brisk walk towards the church's entrance.

"Who knows, maybe you'll meet someone. You always want to be prepared, right?"

"Meeting someone at a funeral?" It was a time to mourn not a time to hook up and meet new people. The only people she had to worry about running into were the vampires hunting her. She fought the urge to turn around, hoping to be prepared if the group decided to strike all at once. to be constantly on alert was getting old and tiring.

"I know it sounds..." Nadia paused, searching for the correct word. "Unlikely, but it's been a while since you've had some action." Nadia hinted, making Nyah feel strangely uncomfortable.

"Are you trying to tell me that you listen to my bedroom walls now, Nad?"

"No, of course not." she admonished. "I just want to see you happy again, and I know you'll never achieve that with Shawn."

Nyah tried to pretend that she hadn't told Nadia about her relationship with Shawn, but the witch was her only friend she could confide in about any of her relationship problems, or any relationship at all.

"What do you know about Shawn anyway? He's a great guy, he's-"

Nadia stepped in front of her, stopping Nyah mid-stride, she grabbed both of her shoulders holding her in place, forcing them to lock gazes. "Listen, I'm tired of you selling yourself short, thinking that your nothing more than a booty call which is exactly what Shawn thinks you are. He's married, Nyah. Married. That means his main priority is not you, it's his wife. Not to mention he's human. What makes you think he'll continue this relationship with you?"

Nyah narrowed her eyes, actually feeling a little hurt by what her friend had voiced. "Next time you try to look out for me, keep your opinions to yourself." She shoved Nadia off, continuing up the sidewalk alone.

"You've really changed Nyah." Nadia called after her. What had happened that changed her?

However much she wanted to ask, she took that as her cue to depart from her friend. Walking across the lawn she picked up the familiar voice from a cell phone. Katherine? No, no, Elena's voice.

"I'm here, I'm here. Where are you?" A man with dark hair with a plastic dry cleaned case draped by a hanger over his back walked across the lawn, looking to be in a hurry. No, it couldn't be. Damon Salvatore. Stefan's older brother. What a treat.

She remembered him vaguely, though not as much as she'd recognize Stefan at first glance. He claimed to be the bad boy, and Nyah knew that he could be easily tricked by lust. Note to self: If your looking for someone to do your dirty work, find Damon Salvatore. Nyah half crouched behind a nearby tree, hoping to gain more voice of the conversation with her advanced hearing.

"Is that you at the door?" Elena asked through the receiver.

"Not yet." Damon answered, picking up his pace.

"Sorry, someone's in here!" Elena yelled. She must be in the bathroom, Nyah thought.

"Damon, hurry." This time she sounded a little scared. Nyah's thigh vibrated and she rolled her eyes. It was the only place she'd been able to put her phone besides carrying it around all day. Lifting up the hem of the lace still standing behind the cover of the tree, she removed the cell phone from the tied fabric and swiped her finger across the lock screen.

A text popped up in a thought bubble from Connor. We need 2 talk.

She didn't have time to text him right now, but she found her fingers seeking out the keys anyway. Is there a problem?

Nyah bit her lip, wondering why it took so long for Connor to text her back. I found 1 of the vampires today. It's the mayor's son.

Well, whatdaya know. So what are you going to do about that? She was dying to know, and a little excited. The mayor's son. Who would've thought. It was just one more card she could add to her game.

Connor's text came through a few moments later. I'm not sure. He's a hybrid. But I've figured out a way to eliminate your little problem faster.

A hybrid. A very valuable asset to her game. But she needed him alive for now. He just might come in handy sometime.

Do whatever needs done. I'm at the church now.

She stood, walking out from the slight shade of the tree, she felt her daylight bracelet rub against her ankle. What was she going to do about that? Connor would be bound to notice it just in case she ran into him today. Think, Nyah. Think. Think. Think. She stamped her foot, forcing her mind to come up with a solution.

"Did you bring the blood bag?" Her mind zeroed in on Elena's voice as she walked outside, joining Damon behind another neighboring tree. She suddenly forgot about the anklet.

"You wanna say that a little louder?" He asked reaching into a tan knapsack for a blood bag. Nyah gazed at them from far away, her eyes narrowed. Elena ripped the top off the blood bag and started drinking, closing her eyes to savor it. One thing she didn't expect was for Elena to reject it, nearly spitting it out she wiped her mouth, leaving a small trail of the thick red liquid on her chin. "Elena." Damon said, catching the blood bag she dropped, concern lacing his voice.

"I can't...It tastes like." Elena inhaled heavily. "What's wrong with me?" Damon gingerly wiped the remaining blood covering her chin. "It's your doppelgänger blood, your rejecting the transition."

Elena studied him, worried. "I'm dying, aren't I?"

"No." Damon assured her, as if the idea was absurd. "Your not dying, you just need to drink blood from the vein."

Elena shook her head rapidly. "No, no. I can't. I can't risk killing anyone, Damon." A swift breeze blew the ends of her hair, showing off her heart shaped face. "Maybe I'm better off dead."

Nyah's bang fell and covered her right eye, she didn't reach up to push it away, her hearing and vision solely on the scene displayed in front of her.

Damon grabbed Elena's upper arms, his voice forward and unrelenting. "Don't you think like that. Elena, your gonna be fine." He brought a hand through her long dark hair, a calming gesture. But Nyah noticed it as a little more than a gesture. The church bell rang, a loud and annoying tune announcing it was noon. Damon removed his hand from Elena's hair hesitantly, as if realizing what he was doing wasn't right. Elena looked down, almost ashamed that she was with him now. "I-I have to get back inside." She walked off, leaving Damon alone at the tree, a look of distant longing in his gaze.

Nyah stayed hidden behind the tree, this time concealing her whole form by pressing her back up against it.

Stefan approached his brother, hands in the pockets of his formal suit. It just framed his broad shoulders even more.

Damon picked up the used blood bag and shoved it back in the knapsack, taking note of his brother, he started to walk away, clearly trying to avoid any conversation. "What's in the bag, Damon?"

"Mid-service snack, church always makes me hungry with the whole blood and Christ thing...you know." He answered, his avoidance apparently hadn't worked. Stefan studied him for a moment, and that seemed to break his older brother down. "I brought it for Elena," he asserted, knowing that he couldn't keep the secret.

Stefan's gaze remained unclear as Nyah studied both brothers. "You really intent on having your way?"

Damon's blue eyes blazed. "It's not my way, it's the only way."

"If she hurts someone she'll be desperate to turn the guilt off, maybe even desperate enough to shut off her humanity." Stefan warned, as if his brother knew nothing.

Well that was something nice to know. Nyah clutched her phone at her side, wondering how much more she could get out of them just from listening.

"You afraid she'll become a Ripper?" Damon asked.

Stefan chose his words carefully. "I can't let her be anything like me."

"Well, God forbid she's anything like me." Damon's eye twitched. "That's really what your thinking. She's gonna go off the rails eventually anyway Stefan, so the faster we can make it happen, the sooner we can get her back on track." Nyah could come up with ways to make that happen, she'd practically taught Katherine everything, it couldn't be that terribly hard.

"She's strong, if we help her she can survive it-" Stefan started.

"She's starving, Stefan." Damon stated. It silenced the constant bickering for a moment before the older brother spoke again. "She hasn't been able to keep blood down for days,"

"What are you talking about, she told me she was fine." Stefan said, his brows dipping low.

"Well then she lied," Damon said casually. "Your four-legged protein shake was a bust, the juice box was a no go...she can't even keep my blood down."

Nyah bit her bottom lip and grinned, leaning her head back against the tree, awaiting Stefan's reaction.

"She drank from you?" Stefan asked, his eyes narrowing.

Damon looked left then right. "Oops, did I say that out loud?" He then walked away, leaving Stefan with a load to think about.

Nyah contemplated walking across the lawn and approaching Stefan but the funeral service was starting so she sent a quick text to Nadia, not caring if she even replied. Prying herself away from the tree, the wind blew strands of her hair over her forehead and mouth. She walked the opposite way across the freshly seeded lawn, properly avoiding Stefan. Joining the others in the church, she started walking down one of the isles, deciding upon one of the pews closest to the front. She still needed to fit the profile of one of the council members, just in case Connor was watching.

The air inside was warm and stale, now she knew why people carried fans to church. This place really needed to be aired out, big time. Nadia was at her side, an apologetic frown on her face from the talk they'd had earlier.

"Give me your bracelet and we'll call it even." Nyah requested, not wanting or caring to hear an apology.

"Ah, okay." Nadia removed the bracelet from her arm. She sat on the hard pew bench and lifted her leg, working to cover her daylight anklet with the large placement of glinting, ruby red, diamonds.

"Let me guess, the hunter has no idea your a vampire?" Nadia asked, raising an amused brow.

"That certainly would put a damper on our business deal now wouldn't it?" Nyah straightened the lace of her dress and aimed her attention at the pulpit where Mayor Carol Lockwood was addressing the crowd that had gathered this afternoon.

The mayor wore a lavender strapped dress, and she looked calm and collected, like she spoke in front of crowds all the time. Being the mayor, she probably did. "Before we begin the mass, I would like to open the floor to anyone who would've liked to share a memory about our late friends on the town council. I know that April Young would like to say a few words about her dad. Uh, April?" Carol looked around the room, her gaze cutting left to right searching for the girl named April.

"April are you still here, honey?" No one stood or shifted. Nyah let her gaze wander the span of room, then it landed on Elena and the others sitting around her.

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	15. A Lesson In Its Own

**||A Lesson In Its Own||**

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Connor loaded a single wooden round into his rifle, then positioned it upon the balcony of the church's second floor. He could see everything up here, it was the perfect spot. He looked through the scope scouting out Alexandra's curvaceous form, even from far away she looked wonderful. The service had already started, and he remembered that the mayor's son was indeed a hybrid and probably had attended the service. He knew this to be true because the wooden bullets hadn't put him down right away like a normal vampire would've. It was his job now to keep Alexandra safe from these creatures so he kept a close eye out for Lockwood's son. The young woman he'd stabbed earlier was sitting nearby him, losing blood by the bucketful. The scent, he hoped, would draw out the vampires easily. He scanned the rest of the crowd through the scope slowly, moving pew to pew in hopes to find a half crazed, starving vampire leering back at him. A brunette stood up slowly, her hands resting on the pew when the girl they'd called out to come up hadn't shown herself. His trigger finger rested on it's place and he guided the scope all the way to the podium where the brunette who'd changed clothes in the downstairs bathroom earlier volunteered to take the floor. He relaxed the muscles in his arms, ready to take the first shot.

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**T.P.B.B.**

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"Come on up, Elena." Carol Lockwood encouraged. Nyah gripped the pews boards, feeling suddenly sick with a hunger pang. Nadia rested her arm on her shoulder, concern evident in her gaze. "Are you feeling okay?"

Nyah nodded. It was all she could do. Some scent in the air had triggered the ache.

"I, um." Elena started. "When I talked to April earlier she was kind of nervous about coming up to speak. And...now that I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous too." Elena looked down, paler than before. She gripped the podium for support, and leaned forward a bit, trying to get her thoughts together. "The worst day, of loving someone...is the day that you lose them."

Nyah could barely hear any of the words coming from Elena's mouth over the constant thumping in her ears. The scent she noticed now was blood. It was coming from above them, and it was dripping. She could hear the constant, drip, drip, drip, that felt like a gong going off in her head.

"Nobody turn around, it's a trap." Nyah picked up Damon Salvatore's voice. What kind of trap, and who had it been set by? A sweat broke out on Elena's forehead, and she tried taking deep cleansing breaths. Nyah noted that Elena's hunger had to be five times worse than her own after not being able to feed since completing the transition. The constant dripping increased a notch.

"I, um." Elena breathed out again. "I...um."

"That's the doppelgänger correct?" Nadia whispered beside her. "As in a newborn vampire?"

Nyah nodded her head again, still not feeling well. And Nadia knew it, "Somebody better get that little girl outta there."

Like an answer to prayer Stefan walked up and ushered Elena off the stage, waving her episode off as nothing more than nerves.

The choir director walked up to the pulpit next, telling them all to stand and join in song. Nyah held onto the pew once again, trying to find a way to push the temptation back. Elena was having a harder time coping with the scent then she was, but Nyah couldn't afford to move, especially if someone was watching her. The song droned on for another minute and a half before Tyler Lockwood walked up to the pulpit and tapped the microphone. "Excuse me, I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young."

Oh, no. Not the hybrid. Where was Connor? Would he follow through with his plan and kill Tyler right here in front of all these people?

* * *

Connor recognized the hybrid as soon as he stepped up on the platform. Adjusting the wooden round he set the rifle off the balcony's edge and took the shot.

* * *

**[Review Please]**


	16. Scared Ground

**||Sacred Ground||**

* * *

Everyone decided to sit down while Tyler gave his small testimony of why Pastor Young's existence had made an impact on his life. He nearly towered over the podium while he spoke. Wasn't he some sort of quarterback or something? "Back if first grade I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports, didn't care much about anything that didn't effect me. But he was the one who made me understand how important it is to be part of a team. A community, of giving yourself up for the sake of-" A shot echoed throughout the church, and Tyler stumbled backward, landing on the carpeted floor of the stage.

"So this is what a funeral is like nowadays." Nadia watched as screams rang out and people started fleeing, running down the isles, seeking the nearest exit. "Can't say I miss these get together's."

Nyah gripped her arm and pulled her from the pew, the pang of hunger had never left and the ground spun a bit but she regained focus. "This is no time for sarcasm, Nad. Now, come on." Nadia followed the others out, instead of running she lightly trotted knowing that the danger didn't effect her as much. Nyah looked up just in time to see Connor's form disappear from the balcony. So he had taken the shot. She glanced to the left and saw Elena start a trek towards the second floor after leaving the stage to see if Tyler was alright.

People ran out around her as she pushed past them and followed Elena up to the balcony. This might be her only chance alone with the doppelgänger. And she'd take it.

* * *

**T.P.B.B.**

* * *

"April." Elena called out, glad that she'd found her. She started to rush towards her, then came to a screeching halt as the scent of blood became stronger and more unbearable. The urge to feed heavy.

Nyah stepped out of the shadows her arms crossed over her chest, she stood behind Elena, raising a brow. "Why don't you just do it, Elena? Avoiding the hunger is just going to make things harder for you."

Elena gave a start, then turned around to face the woman who'd called her out. Nyah was at least three or four inches taller than the doppelgänger in her high laced heels. "W-who are you?" Elena let out a shallow breath.

"I guess we never really exchanged formalities while we were locked up together." Nyah took a step closer, smirking. "I'm the one that's going to make this transition a whole lot easier for you. Stefan and Damon have no idea what they're doing, but I have plenty of...experience in the sort of situation your in."

"I have no idea who you are. Why would I ask for your help?" Elena took a cautious step backward.

"Because I'm your only choice, Elena." Nyah studied her up and down, taking a step forward. "When you decide you want my help, call me. I'll be in touch." She walked off then, making sure that there weren't any promises being made. Elena would eventually turn her humanity off. Even if she needed a little help getting there in the process.


	17. Information

**I will try uploading the other chapters to this fanfic a little at a time, but I've become more interested in my FictionPress stories then this one. **

**So if your interested in Romance Fiction & Suspense check my stories out at FictionPress.**

**Name: (with the dot)**

**I'm desperate for reviews to After Dark. **

**Here's the summary: **

_This suspenseful romance has enough twists and turns to keep you up all night..._

Honoria Mendez has lived a very troubled past life venturing from foster care as a troubled teenager to an adult gang member of a notorious drug cartel, now out for her life and after the brutal information she carries close. Becoming a legalized American Citizen, she feels safe from harm, and even more so the farther she travels away from the Rio Grande. Meeting Former Marine Sgt. Colton Howard was just a quirk. On leave, all Colt wants to do is lay back and try to forget the memories fogging his mind after his last tour of duty. Honoria had more ways than one of taking his mind off anything but that of her. After a whirlwind weekend spent together they find themselves marrying, preventing her from being deported, and moving back to his family's home state of North Carolina. Together they seem to fall harder in love but secrets from Honoria's past seem less than far behind. When Colton's sister is brutally attacked, and Honoria suddenly disappears from his side of the bed, he sets out on a quest to find the woman who stole his heart and hides her secrets.


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